The final of the Spelthorne Business Plan Competition took place on 29th June, at the BP offices in Sunbury. Kwasi established the competition in 2013 together with Spelthorne Borough Council to identify and help budding entrepreneurs in the Borough, and the competition has supported some fantastic winners.
The six finalists pitched their business ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style final for a chance to win £3,500, free website and logo design, and a year's package of mentoring and business support.
After much deliberation, first place was awarded to Natalie Morris of Doodlekids, which supports children with special needs through art, fostering creativity, positivity and wellbeing. The second-place prize of £1,000 went to Oliver Addams of The Thames Art Academy, a community-led art school in Staines that aims to provide a creative and inspiring environment for individuals of all ages. The third-place prize of £200 was awarded to James Seddon of Motatek, a wireless system for classic and older cars that warns drivers of pending issues before their engines are damaged.
Kwasi was delighted to present the prizes to the three winners. He said "The Spelthorne Business Plan Competition has been running for a number of years but I never fail to be impressed by the creativity and professionalism of the entries we receive. I'd like to congratulate all the finalists, particularly Natalie, whose proposal and pitch was very impressive. We are very fortunate to have so many talented people with great business ideas in our Borough and I will be following their progress with interest."
